I have always considered myself quite a nice person. I like food of all shapes, flavours and colours. From every country and continent. I don’t discriminate, I am an equal opportunity eater. It’s only the doctors who say I’m intolerant. And certain foods who refuse to tolerate me. They certainly refuse to recognise and respect my right to eat them without major physical discomfort and distress.


Gluten and lactose are not my friends.


Despite the negative attitudes surrounding me from many of those I love best, (cakes, ice cream, hot toast) I decided to become a chef. Not always easy when you live in a bread and milk filled world. I like to think that this has helped me become a better person as I embrace my differences and refuse to let the gluten get me down. I believe InTolerance. I am the InTolerant Chef.

Food should not be about what you can’t eat, but what you can and what you enjoy eating. This blog is about my journey of cooking and eating and discovery. It’s not a definitive guide to allergy awareness nor do my intolerances make me an expert. Your body is your responsibility, not mine. I only know what works for me.


I can tell you this..... No glutens were harmed in the making of this website.

April 29, 2013

Octopus's Garden




What a perfect name for my Octopus Salad

Soft as butter braised octopus, crunchy fresh vegetables, smooth sweet pepper strips and a tangy vinegar dressing- all tossed together to a Glorious Garden Salad with a bit of Extra Excitement!


I used to work at a Greek Cafe that specialised in Seafood

They also owned a fresh seafood market stall in the same complex, so the produce really was quite lovely. One of the many behind-the-scenes secrets of this establishment was the cement mixer that was in constant use out the back of the shop. We sold hundreds of dozens of oysters each weekend, and the main duty of the mixer was to tumble the un-opened oysters around in it a couple of times to knock the sharp edges off the shells so the little man who did nothing-all-day-every-day-but-shuck-oysters didn't have his hands cut to ribbons in the first few minutes. In the odd time in between oyster loads, the mixer would be hosed out and loaded up with octopus. Slosh, slosh, slosh, around and around they would go, all the while breaking down the texture and sloshing away the slime. Much easier than the traditional method of beating the octopus on a rock for ages in a rock pool by the sea- especially in land locked Canberra


I bought some medium small fresh octopus at the markets this morning. Not the tiny little baby ones that you can get frozen, or a Leviathan of the deep either, but nice manageable octopups of about 250 grm each. Now you either need to cook octopus super hot and super fast, or slow and lovingly to have it at it's best. I went the slow way, so start this recipe by braising the octopus the day before, or a few hours earlier than you intend to eat it. If you really want, you can also cook the octopus in the pressure cooker for 15-20 minutes if you're in a hurry

Tangles of Tentacles





Your friendly Fishmonger will be able to clean the little beasties up for you, but otherwise it's fairly easy- just a bit messy :)
Just split open the head carefully and scrape out all the goopy bits. Be careful though, try not to break the ink sac! There is a beak between the tentacles that needs to be cut out, and you can cut the eyes out too if they bother you





For braising I used 1/4 cup of Red Wine Vinegar, 3 Bay Leaves and 3 whole Garlic Cloves- I didn't bother to peel them





Pop the vinegar, garlic and bay leaves in a pot with the octopus and cover with water





Bring to the boil, then simmer away for about an hour and a half to two hours, or until the octopus is lovely and very tender.
You might want to do this with the window open or with the kitchen fan on. The smell isn't bad or all that fishy- just rather pervasive

The water will change colour as they cook, so will the skin of the octopus too- don't worry though it's still OK, it's meant to do that :)





Let the beasties cool in the liquid, then drain well




See how the meat has firmed up and gone a lovely pinky colour? Don't worry about the skin colour- if it bothers you, you can peel it off, but that's a lot of work on the smaller ones





While it cools down, get on with the salad part
I liked the idea of a Greek style salad with capsicum, cucumber, sweet little tomatoes, olives, and I threw in some pepper strips that I had marinating in the fridge too for another texture and more sweetness





Cut the octopus into bite sized pieces, leaving nice sections of tentacles whole to look pretty




Fry them off in some olive oil on high heat until nicely golden on the lighter bits. I like to use some of the oil that the peppers were marinated in to add a bit of extra flavouring





When done, quickly splash in an extra couple of tablespoons of the red wine vinegar and deglaze the pan while tossing the octopus around to coat all the pieces nicely





Pull off the heat and let them rest and cool a tad while you assemble the salad





On a bed of nice crunchy greens, place the olives, tomatoes, cucumbers and capsicums then add the octopus. Drape some bits of pepper strips over it artistically and carefully toss around. Drizzle it all with the pan liquid from deglazing and some lovely extra virgin Olive Oil

A lovely hearty salad for lunch or dinner, or you could use the octopus as part of an antipasta platter or mezze plate instead- yummo!



So Dear Readers, would You Like to be Under the Sea, in an Octopus's Garden with me?

We would be so happy you and me, No one there to tell us what to do, I'd like to be under the sea In an octopus' garden with you :)

(Octopus's Garden lyrics by The Beatles, 1963)


21 comments:

  1. Ahh so this is the delicious sounding salad! I'm laughing because when I rang you today while you were preparing this, I thought that you said that you were washing your hair (and I don't know how I reconciled that with the mention of the octopus :P).

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    1. I said I was wahing my hands as they were all Octopussy from making a salad :) Hmmm... that sounds very odd doesn't it? xox

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    1. Why thanks Lizzy, I need to make it more often, that's for sure!

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  3. Can't bear the eyes but your salad looks wonderfully fresh and delicious.

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    1. Remember that line form Little Red Riding Hood "All the better to see you with my dear"!
      :)

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  4. You hooked me in with the concrete mixer and I was wondering if you'd bought one at Costco and installed it in your backyard just for this salad. I see instead you went the slow-braising route! What a lovely combination of textures and flavours xx

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    1. Not yet Charlie, but I have friends who had a cookie making business and they used a concrete mixer to mix up the dough- True story! xox

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  5. Rebecca - I have never tried octopus before..but this recipe sounds divine!

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    1. I hope you give it a try Ina, it tastes lovely and not all that 'fishy' at all :)

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  6. Ooh! I never know how to cook octopus, so I always order them when we go out... loving your garden :)

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    1. Thanks Ms I-Hua! I order seafood out a lot too as the family isn't as keen on it as I. I hope you give it a go and let me know how it works out :)

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  7. I know Mr GG would love this salad, octopus is one of his favourite types of seafood. Although I usually buy the smoked octopus because I am too lazy to tenderise them. I will have to try the braising method.

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    1. I love smoked octopus too Julie but don't know where to get it down here- I guess I will just have to make it! Try the pressure cooker if it's easier, it really does a grea job :)

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  8. Like Maureen said...it's the eyes, the damn eyes! I can't do it. I sat down to a plate FULL of eyes in Sri Lanka once and it's been hard to look an octopus in the *ahem* eyes since them.
    But your salad looks good :-)

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    1. I'm not keen on fish eyes that's for sure Brydie so I do sympathise sweetie! Hope you're feeling better now :)

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  9. Looks and sounds super yummy !

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  10. what an amzingly colorfull octopus salad....
    btw i like to grilled thel in simple soy and ginger glazed...

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  11. Can the liquid be used for other dish or is it better to throw out?

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    1. It's quite fishy and acidic, so think it's better just to throw it out. You could perhaps use it as a dressing but I personally wouldn't bother. Try it and see if you like it, then let me know how you go Jess :)

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